Cigar with a paper wrapper

ABSTRACT

A cigar with a paper wrapper and the method for manufacturing the same is provided. The cigar includes a tobacco filler consisting essentially of cigar tobacco and a paper wrapper overlying the tobacco filler. The paper wrapper consists essentially of conventional cigarette paper. The cigar may further include a binder surrounding the tobacco filler, wherein the outer covering overlies the binder. Preferably, the paper wrapper is imprinted with images. The method includes rolling a tobacco filler together into the shape of a cigar and wrapping a paper wrapper substantially around and overlying the tobacco filler. Preferably, the method further includes imprinting an image on the outside of the paper wrapper.

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates to the manufacture of cigars, andmore particularly, the present invention relates to a cigar with a paperwrapper.

[0002] Cigars typically are wrapped with a natural tobacco leaf or witha manufactured wrapper which contains both natural tobacco and certainadhesives and cellulosic fiber materials. While the natural tobacco leafhas historically been the symbol of a quality cigar, it has been a goalof cigar manufacturers to simulate the appearance of natural tobaccoleaf wrappers on manufactured cigar wrappers. The advantage of using amanufactured cigar wrapper rather than a natural tobacco leaf resides inits considerably lower cost and the increased ability to manipulate bothtaste and aroma by the addition of appropriate additives.

[0003] Nevertheless, both the natural tobacco leaf and the manufacturedtobacco leaf have disadvantages in their appearance and construction.The natural and the manufactured tobacco leaves both have naturaltobacco in them, and therefore are both costly to produce. Additionally,since both the natural and the manufactured tobacco leaves are dark incolor, words or graphics cannot be easily imprinted upon them.Accordingly, further development of an apparatus and method formanufacturing a cigar having an improved wrapper is necessary in orderto decrease the cost for manufacturing a cigar, and to more easily allowwords, pictures or other such images to be imprinted upon the cigarwrapper.

SUMMARY

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a cigar isprovided. The cigar includes a tobacco filler consisting essentially ofcigar tobacco and a paper wrapper overlying the tobacco filler. Thepaper wrapper consists essentially of conventional cigarette paper. Thecigar may further include a binder surrounding the tobacco filler,wherein the outer covering overlies the binder. Preferably, the paperwrapper is imprinted with images.

[0005] According to another aspect of the present invention, a methodfor manufacturing cigars is provided. The method includes rolling atobacco filler together into the shape of a cigar and wrapping a paperwrapper substantially around and overlying the tobacco filler.Preferably, the method further includes imprinting an image on theoutside of the paper wrapper.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, a methodfor displaying images on a cigar is provided. The method includesproviding a paper wrapper for the cigar. The paper wrapper overlies thecigar and comprises an outer surface on which images are displayed upon.Furthermore, the paper wrapper is dimensioned so as to substantiallywrap around and cover the cigar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a cigar with apaper wrapper.

[0008]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a cigarwith a paper wrapper.

[0009]FIG. 3 is a partially exposed perspective view of the cigar withthe paper wrapper of FIG. 1.

[0010]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cigar with the paperwrapper of FIG. 1 taken along line 4-4.

[0011]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a cigarwith a paper wrapper.

[0012]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a cigarwith a paper wrapper.

[0013]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of cigar and a paper sleeve.

[0014] FIGS. 8-10 illustrate steps for manufacturing a cigar with apaper wrapper.

[0015]FIG. 11 is an alternate perspective view of the cigar with thepaper wrapper of FIG. 1.

[0016] It should be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity ofillustration, elements shown in the Figures have not necessarily beendrawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements areexaggerated relative to each other for clarity. Further, whereconsidered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among theFigures to indicate corresponding elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017]FIGS. 1 and 3 illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of acigar 20 with a paper wrapper 28, according to the present invention.The cigar 20 may be any type of cigar prepared in any type of manner.Thus, the cigar 20 may also be a cigarillo. Additionally, the cigar 20may be a hand rolled cigar or a machine rolled cigar. Furthermore, thecigar may have a long or a short tobacco filler 34. The cigar 20 mayalso have tobacco and non-tobacco products, such as a homogenous cigar,which is a cigar that comprises predominately natural tobacco along withnon-tobacco ingredients added. For example, the cigar 20 may have abinder 54 that is made from paper. The cigar 20 comprises a head 22,having a tip 24, and a foot 26 opposed to the head 22 and the tip 24.The cigar head 22 and the tip 24 are engaged by and placed within theuser's mouth when the cigar 20 is being smoked. The cigar 20 has alength L that is defined by the distance from the tip 24 to the foot 26,as illustrated in FIG. 1. Additionally, the cigar 20 has a diameter D asillustrated in FIG. 4. The length L and diameter D of the cigar 20 mayvary depending on the type of cigar. Preferably, the length L of thecigar 20 is between 10.5 to 20 centimeters and the diameter D is between1.0 and 2.5 centimeters. In one embodiment, the cigar 20 has a diameterD of between 0.625 and 1.25 centimeters. The cigar 20 comprises atobacco filler 34, a binder 54 surrounding the tobacco filler 34, andthe paper wrapper 28 overlying the tobacco filler 34 and the binder 54.

[0018] The tobacco filler 34 consists essentially of cigar tobacco. Asused herein, cigar tobacco is defined as tobacco which is specificallygrown and cured for use in cigars as cigar fillers and cigar wrappers.Typically, cigar tobacco is air-cured. Cigar tobacco is not to beconfused with cigarette tobacco, which is grown and cured specificallyfor use with cigarettes. The tobacco filler 34 constitutes the bulk ofthe tobacco used in the construction of cigar 20. The tobacco filler 34provides the majority of the taste and flavor of the cigar 20 on thepalate and tongue while the cigar 20 is being smoked.

[0019] The binder 54 surrounds the tobacco filler 34 to hold the filler34 in place. Typically the binder 54 comprises a tough, resilienttobacco leaf that is used to bind the filler 34 in a fashion similar tousing a bandage to wrap an injured finger. The binder 54 may alsocomprise paper, cellulose, or other such substances. While theabove-described cigar 20 comprises a binder 54, cigar 20 may use thepaper wrapper 28, as described below, in place of or in addition to thebinder 54.

[0020] The paper wrapper 28 is wrapped substantially around and overliesthe tobacco filler 34 and the binder 54, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and4. The paper wrapper 28 is the outermost layer of the cigar 20 andcovers the tobacco filler 34 and the binder 54, as illustrated in FIGS.1 and 2. The paper wrapper 28 includes an inner surface 66 opposed to anouter surface 68, wherein the inner surface 66 is adjacent to the filler34 once the paper wrapper is wrapped around the filler 34, asillustrated in FIGS. 4 and 11. In one embodiment, the paper wrapper 28is removably attached to the cigar 20. Preferably, the paper wrapper 28covers the entire surface of the cigar 20 except for the cigar foot 26,allowing for a portion of the tobacco filler 34 to be exposed, asillustrated in FIG. 11. The paper wrapper 28 may be wrapped around thetobacco filler 34 in a spiral fashion, as illustrated in FIG. 1, alinear fashion, as illustrated in FIG. 2, or in any one of a number ofother fashions. Preferably, the paper wrapper 28 comprises conventionalcigarette paper. As used herein, conventional cigarette paper is astrong, lightweight paper made from flax or other types of cellulosefiber. Conventional cigarette paper may contain fillers or otheradditives to provide whiteness, improve appearance, and assure burnuniformity. Conventional cigarette paper may contain a filler of calciumcarbonate modified with various burning chemicals to improve the burningrate and ash characteristics of the smoking article. Typicalconventional cigarette papers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,503,267;2,580,608; and 2,580,611, the specifications of which are all herebyincorporated by reference. In one embodiment, the paper wrapper 28comprises non-conventional cigarette paper. As defined herein,non-conventional cigarette paper includes, but is not limited to, bluntpapers; a manufactured cigar wrapper containing natural tobacco, asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,665, the specification of which ishereby incorporated by reference; a natural tobacco leaf cigar wrapper;a cigarette wrapper made of gelatin foil, a plasticizer and agent toincrease burning speed, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,801,636, thespecification of which is hereby incorporated by reference; a cigarettewrapper containing a filler of gamma alumina, as described in U.S. Pat.No. 4,108,151, the specification of which is hereby incorporated byreference; a cigarette wrapper which is loaded with an agent comprisingup to 45 percent by weight calcium oxalate, as described in U.S. Pat.No. 3,640,285, the specification of which is hereby incorporated byreference; a cigarette wrapper comprising a film which preferablycomprises a natural polysaccharide component, as described in U.S. Pat.No. 4,129,134, the specification of which is hereby incorporated byreference; a wrapper containing magnesium oxide or its hydrate with achemical adjuvant, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,377, thespecification of which is hereby incorporated by reference; a wrapperformed on a cellulosic sheet containing a filler combination ofmagnesium hydroxide activated carbon, and calcium carbonate, asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,864, the specification of which ishereby incorporated by reference; a carbon filled wrapper, as describedin U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,496, the specification of which is herebyincorporated by reference; and other such non-conventional papers

[0021] In one embodiment, the cigar 20 comprises an adhesive layer 32between the paper wrapper 28 and the tobacco filler 34 and binder 54, asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Preferably, the adhesive layer is locatedadjacent the inner surface 66 of the paper wrapper 28. The adhesivelayer 32 binds the paper wrapper 28 to the binder 54 and the tobaccofiller 34. The adhesive layer 32 may comprises any adhesive that may beused. Preferably, the adhesive layer 32 comprises an adhesive which canbe safely smoked, such as, but not limited to, vegetable gel paste.

[0022] The paper wrapper 28 imparts a portion of the taste and flavor ofthe cigar 20 on the tongue and palate of the user. Smoke from the paperwrapper 28 combines with smoke from the filler 34 acting as a catalystto create the taste and flavor of the cigar. In one embodiment, thepaper wrapper 28 may be chemically flavored by applying chemicals to thepaper wrapper 28 to provide the paper wrapper 28 with a given taste,such as, chocolate, strawberry, apple, mint, banana, and mango.

[0023] In addition to paper wrapper 28, the cigar 20 may have aconventional tobacco leaf wrapper 60 wrapped around the tobacco filler,wherein the paper wrapper is wrapped around, or overlying, theconventional tobacco leaf wrapper 60. The conventional tobacco leafwrapper 60 may comprises any type of tobacco leaf wrapper. In color, theconventional tobacco leaf wrapper 60 may range from light green, such asa Double Claro, to a brownish-black, such as a Maduro Maduro. Typically,the conventional tobacco leaf wrapper 60 is wrapped in a spiral manner.Vegetable gel paste (not shown) may be is used to glue the wrapper 60 tothe portion of the wrapper 60 at the head 22 of the cigar 20.

[0024] In one preferred embodiment, the paper wrapper 28 is imprintedwith images 35 such as text 38 and graphics 36, as illustrated in FIGS.5 and 6. Preferably, the outer surface 68 of the paper wrapper 28 isimprinted with images 35 such as text 38 and graphics 36, as illustratedin FIGS. 5 and 6. The text 38 may be such text as a horoscope, andindividual's name, a company's name, the name of the cigar, a poem,lyrics, quotes, news, fictional work, or any other types of text.Furthermore, the graphics 36 may be one of a number of types ofgraphics, such as symbols, animals, plants, patterns, people, cartoons,logos, or any other type of graphics. In one embodiment the images 35form an advertisement 62 which is used to sell products and/or services,as illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0025] In one embodiment, the cigar 20 has a series of themes oradvertisements 62 associated with the cigar 20, wherein the themes oradvertisements 62 are communicated in some way to an individual. Forexample, the themes or advertisements 62 may be communicated to anindividual by imprinting the themes or advertisements 62 on the cigar20, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the themes or advertisements 62 may becommunicated to an individual by generating sounds through a soundgenerating device 46, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the themes oradvertisements 62 may be communicated to an individual by embossing thethemes or advertisements 62 upon the cigar 20, additionally, the themesor advertisements 62 may be communicated to an individual through asense of smell or taste by applying chemicals to the cigar 20 to changethe smell or taste of cigar 20. The themes or advertisements 62 may beany themes or advertisements 62. For example, the themes oradvertisements 62 may be astrological signs; a glow in the dark symbolsor colors, such as a cigar with bright colors that glow, a cigar withring bands that glow, or a cigar with a glow in the dark box; fortunetelling, such as a cigar with a fortune imprinted upon the cigar, or acigar with a fortune that is revealed by removing a cigar band that iswrapped around a portion of the cigar; traditional symbols such as FengShui symbols like a toad, or a laughing Buddha on colors representingcolors for Fire, Earth, Metal, Wood and Air; special occasions like awedding, a party, or a bar-mitzvah; names & dates special ordered to beprinted; designs and images that deal with a Newborn Baby, such asprinted rattles, bottles, booties, and pacifiers, also the cigar bandcould have the name, weight of baby imprinted upon the band; a crayondesign on the cigars; animal prints such as a leopard print, a cheetahprint, a tiger print, a zebra print, a giraffe and a cow print; a retrodesign, such as a 60's design featuring ty-dyed colors; a holiday theme;a sports theme imprinted upon the cigar, such as images or sounds ofsport's commentators, sports teams, sports logos, and sport's athletes;a college theme; a joke or a whimsical quote; a tarot card reading onit; news; weather; and any other themes or advertisements 62.

[0026] In one embodiment, the cigar 20 comprises a ring 40, asillustrated in FIG. 5. The ring 40 surrounds a portion of the paperwrapper 28. The ring 40 may comprise precious metals, precious stone,regular metals, plastic, or any other material which may be used to forma ring. The ring 40 may be used as a substitute for the typical papercigar band that usually is wrapped at one end of a cigar 20.

[0027] In one embodiment, the cigar 20 comprises a light source 42, asillustrated in FIG. 5. The light source 42 is attached to the cigar 20using, for example, a band 44. The light source 42 may also be attachedusing one of a number of means, such as, but not limited to, glue,Velcro, bands, and rings. In one embodiment, the cigar 20, and morespecifically, the paper wrapper 28 is coated with a chemical that causesthe cigar 20 to glow in the dark.

[0028] In one embodiment, a paper 52 sleeve is formed which is adaptedto receive an ordinary cigar 58, which includes any cigar or cigarillomanufactured in any way, as illustrated in FIG. 7. The paper sleeve 52comprises conventional cigarette paper, as described above. In oneembodiment, the paper sleeve 52 is imprinted with images 35 such as text38 and graphics 36, as described above. Preferably, the paper sleeve 52is formed by wrapping a sheet of conventional cigarette paper around andconnecting the paper at a sleeve edge 56. In one embodiment, the papersleeve 52 is removably attached to the cigar 20.

[0029] In one embodiment, the cigar 20 comprises a sound generatingdevice 46, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The sound generating device 46generates sounds. For example, the sound generating device 46 cangenerate sounds of varying pitch in order to play a musical song orreproduce a human voice. Preferably, the sound generating device 46includes a button 50 which is used to activate the sound generatingdevice 46, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The sound generating device 46 isattached to the cigar 20 using, for example, a band 48. The soundgenerating device 46 may also be attached using one of a number ofmeans, such as, but not limited to, glue, Velcro, bands, and rings.

[0030] FIGS. 8-10 illustrate steps for manufacturing the cigar 20. Thecigar 20 may be manufactured by either machine or by hand. Generally,the manufacturing of the cigar 20 involves layering the tobacco filler34 and shaping it into a cylindrical structure 63, as illustrated inFIG. 8. The binder 54 is bound around the cylindrical structure 63 toproduce a semi-finished cigar called a bunch 64, as illustrated in FIG.9. The bunch 64 is then taken through a molding process during whichtime the bunch is compressed to the diameter D of the cigar 20. Aftercompressing the bunch 64, the paper wrapper 28 is wrapped around thebunch 64 and the cigar 20 is then cut to the exact style length L, asillustrated in FIG. 10. Preferably, the paper wrapper 28 is affixed tothe bunch 64 with the aid of an adhesive layer 32. In one embodiment,the bunch 64 is formed without the binder 54, and the paper wrapper 28is wrapped around the cylindrical structure 63 to produce a cigar 20. Inanother embodiment, a tobacco wrapper 60 is wrapped around the bunch 64,and the paper wrapper 28 is wrapped around the tobacco wrapper 60. Uponforming the cigar 20, images 35 are then imprinted or embossed upon thecigar 20, and more specifically, upon the paper wrapper 28. In oneembodiment, images 35 are imprinted upon the paper wrapper 28 before thepaper wrapper 28 is wrapped around the bunch 64 or the cylindricalstructure 63.

[0031] Thus, there has been disclosed in accordance with the invention,a cigar with a paper wrapper and a method for manufacturing the samethat fully provides the advantages set forth above. Although theinvention has been described and illustrated with reference to specificillustrative embodiments thereof, it is not intended that the inventionbe limited to those illustrative embodiments. Those skilled in the artwill recognize that variations and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended toinclude within the invention all such variations and modifications thatfall within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

1. A cigar comprising: a tobacco filler consisting essentially of cigartobacco; and a paper wrapper overlying the tobacco filler, wherein thepaper wrapper consists essentially of conventional cigarette paper. 2.The structure according to claim 1, further comprising a bindersurrounding the tobacco filler, wherein the outer covering overlies thebinder.
 3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the binder comprises atobacco leaf.
 4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the paper wrapperconsists of lightweight paper made from cellulose fiber.
 5. Thestructure of claim 1, wherein the cigar further comprises an adhesivelayer between the paper wrapper and the tobacco filler.
 6. The structureof claim 1, wherein the paper wrapper is imprinted with images.
 7. Thestructure of claim 1, wherein the cigar tobacco is hand rolled cigartobacco.
 8. The structure of claim 1, wherein the cigar tobacco ismachine rolled cigar tobacco.
 9. The structure of claim 1, wherein thecigar has a length L and a diameter D, wherein the length L is between10.5 to 20 centimeters, and wherein the diameter D is between 0.625 and2.5 centimeters.
 10. A method for manufacturing cigars comprising:rolling a tobacco filler together into the shape of a cigar; placing thetobacco filler onto a paper wrapper; and wrapping the paper wrappertogether with the tobacco filler into a cigar, wherein the paper wrapperis wrapped substantially around and overlying the tobacco filler. 11.The method of claim 10, further comprising imprinting an image on anouter surface of the paper wrapper.
 12. The method of claim 10, whereinthe paper wrapper comprises a printed image.
 13. The method of claim 12,wherein the printed image is an advertisement.
 14. The method of claim10, wherein the paper wrapper includes an adhesive layer on an innersurface of the paper wrapper, wherein the adhesive layer is used to holdthe paper wrapper to the tobacco filler.
 15. A method for manufacturingcigars comprising: rolling a tobacco filler together into the shape of acigar; and wrapping a paper wrapper substantially around and overlyingthe tobacco filler.
 16. A method for displaying images on a cigarcomprising: providing a paper wrapper for the cigar, wherein the paperwrapper overlies the cigar, and wherein the paper wrapper comprises anouter surface on which images are displayed upon, the paper wrapperbeing dimensioned so as to substantially wrap around and cover thecigar.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the paper wrapper includes anadhesive layer on an inner surface of the paper wrapper, wherein theadhesive layer is used to hold the paper wrapper around the cigar. 18.The method of claim 16, wherein the images include advertisements. 19.The method of claim 16, wherein the paper wrapper is removably attachedto the cigar.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the paper wrappercomprises conventional cigarette paper.